140 years of legacy lost… and silence from the top.
After over a century on Britain’s high street, Beales department store has closed its final location in Poole, Dorset — a symbolic collapse that says more about the state of workers’ rights and government policy than just one business.
📉 When Profit Margins Trump People
The company’s CEO has pointed to government decisions — including National Insurance increases, minimum wage uplifts, and slashed business rates relief — as the final straw. While these policies may be intended to fund public services or raise living standards, without support for small to mid-sized employers, they’ve instead translated into job losses.
In Beales’ case?
👉 £200,000 in added costs.
👉 100+ jobs gone.
👉 1 NHS clinic displaced.
And yet — where was the union voice in all this?
A Union Vacuum on the High Street?
Most UK retail workers aren’t unionised. They’re at the sharp end of every squeeze — disposable when margins get tight, unheard when closures loom. At UWA, we ask:
💬 Who’s protecting workers when decisions made in Westminster result in pink slips on the shop floor?
This closure isn’t an isolated tragedy — it’s part of a pattern. In 2023, over 17,000 retail sites closed, with retail employment down by more than 85,000 jobs since 2019. Without union organisation, these workers have little say in their fate.
What UWA Stands For
At United Workers Alliance, we don’t believe in waiting for disaster. We believe in:
✅ Organising the unorganised
✅ Challenging unfair redundancy processes
✅ Lobbying for economic policies that support BOTH workers and sustainable employment
If You Work in Retail, Hospitality, or Care — You’re Not Alone
Whether you’ve been made redundant, feel insecure at work, or want a real say in your future, join us. UWA offers:
📌 Free one-to-one support
📌 Representation during restructures
📌 Community-driven campaigning
📌 A seat at the table — not just on the receiving end
Retail workers built this country’s economy — we won’t let it be dismantled without a fight.
👉 Join United Workers Alliance — Because you deserve to be represented.
👉 Get Support — We’re here for you.
Sources: Retail Gazette, BBC, The Scottish Sun, Centre for Retail Research